Chelsea Manager Frustrated by Defensive Lapse in Burnley Draw
Liam Rosenior has pointed the finger at a defensive error for Chelsea's failure to secure a victory against Burnley at Stamford Bridge. The Blues manager accused one of his players of marking the wrong opponent during the corner that led to Zian Flemming's 93rd-minute equaliser, which ended the match in a 1-1 draw.
Joao Pedro had given Chelsea an early lead, but Wesley Fofana's second-half red card complicated matters before Flemming's header snatched a point for relegation-threatened Burnley. This result leaves Chelsea in the top four temporarily, but Manchester United and Liverpool could overtake them depending on their upcoming fixtures.
Rosenior's Post-Match Analysis
In his post-match comments, Rosenior expressed significant frustration, highlighting that Chelsea should have closed out the game after taking the lead. We should have killed the game, he stated, criticising his team's lack of ruthlessness. He emphasised that poor defending on set pieces has been a recurring issue, leading to costly points dropped in recent home matches against struggling sides like Leeds United and now Burnley.
Rosenior specifically addressed the marking error without naming the player involved, saying, An assignment was missed. A marking assignment wasn't done. He noted that Flemming, known for his heading ability, was not properly tracked, but he refrained from publicly blaming individuals, opting to handle the matter internally.
Disciplinary Concerns and Future Focus
The red card shown to Fofana marked Chelsea's eighth dismissal of the season, the highest in the Premier League. When questioned about the team's disciplinary record, Rosenior defended his tenure, stating that discipline has improved under his management, though he acknowledged the overall tally is excessive. He described Fofana's red card as unfortunate but admitted it contributed to the team's struggles.
Looking ahead, Rosenior stressed the need for immediate improvement, with a crucial London derby against Arsenal on the horizon. We have a huge game away at Arsenal next week, he said, urging his players to enhance their performance and discipline in key moments to stay in the Champions League race.
Meanwhile, Burnley's draw leaves them 19th in the table, eight points from safety, having avoided defeat only 11 times in 27 matches this season. Both teams face challenging fixtures next weekend, with Chelsea travelling to face league leaders Arsenal and Burnley hosting Brentford.
